West Newsmagazine 3-7-18

Local news, local politics and community events for West St. Louis County Missouri.

38 I MATURE FOCUS I

38 I MATURE FOCUS I March 7, 2018 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE @WESTNEWSMAG WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM NEVER STOP EXPLORING Adult getaways at Trout Lodge are designed for the new adventurer and experienced lounger alike. Explore the Ozarks. Start here. Call 888-386-9622 to begin your story. MATURE FOCUS, from page 36 A recent study conducted at UCLA looked at the effects of taking a curcumin supplement on memory performance in older people without dementia. It included 40 adults between the ages of 50 and 90 who had mild memory complaints. Participants received either 90 milligrams of curcumin or a placebo two times per day for 18 months. All 40 subjects received standardized cognitive assessments at the start of the study and at six-month intervals, along with monitoring of curcumin levels in their blood at the start of the study and after 18 months. Those who took the curcumin experienced significant improvements [an average of 28 percent] in their memory and attention abilities as measured by the assessments, while those who took a placebo did not improve. Those taking curcumin also experienced mild improvements in mood. Curcumin previously has been shown in lab studies to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has long been well-regarded in India as a natural treatment for many health concerns – in fact, it has been suggested as a possible reason why senior citizens in India, where curcumin is a dietary staple, have a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. “Exactly how curcumin exerts its effects is not certain, but it may be due to its ability to reduce brain inflammation, which has been linked to both Alzheimer’s disease and major depression,” said Dr. Gary Small, the study’s first author and director of geriatric psychiatry at UCLA’s Longevity Center. The research was published online in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. The origin of wisdom The old saying “with age comes wisdom” may not be accurate – rather, it’s how a person responds to challenging life events that seem to come with getting older, such A recent study attempted to determine how dealing with life’s challenges relates to the development of wisdom as people age. as divorce, a health crisis or the death of a loved one, that shapes the development of wisdom over time, a new study from Oregon State University suggests. The study’s goal was to better understand how coping with adversity leads to greater wisdom and, ultimately, to healthier aging. “What we [were] really looking at is ‘when bad things happen, what happens?,’” said Carolyn Aldwin, director of the Center for Healthy Aging Research in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at OSU. “The event can become a catalyst for changes that come afterward. Generally, the people who had to work to sort things out after a difficult life event are the ones who arrived at new meaning.” The study included 50 adults between the ages of 56 and 91 who had experienced one or more major difficult life events. The participants were asked to identify those events, describe how they coped, and detail whether and how the experience changed their outlook or future actions. While some participants considered the events as merely something that could not be changed, the largest group [32 participants] agreed that dealing with these events disrupted their sense of personal meaning, forcing them to re-evaluate their fundamental beliefs and their understanding of the world. “For these folks, the event really rocked their boat and challenged how they saw life and Call 636.893.4194 Tami Barnes, Director of Sales and Marketing Chesterfield.OasisSeniorAdvisors.com tbarnes@youroasisadvisor.com Union, MO | 636-234-5090 Union, MO | 636.234.5090 Now Offering $1000 in FREE UPGRADES Now through June 1st 2 Car Garage A Lifestyle That Reflects Life Made Simple Sandy La Beau - Agent CALL DOLAN AND START PACKING www.GrayHawkVillage.com DolanRealtors@DolanRealtors.com Conveniently located at Hwy. 50 and Old Hwy. 50 East in Union, MO (1 mile east of East Central College) A Lifestyle That Reflects Life Made Simple Franklin county’s Finest 55+ Villa Living GrayHawk Village is a maintenance-free community for active adults 55 and over. Vaulted rooms of 1,400 sq. ft. with 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths and 2 car garages. Here are some of the things we do so you’ll have carefree living... • Lawn Care with inground irrigation • Snow Removal • Emergency Call System • Auto Garage Door with Remote and Keyless Entry Now Offering Basements and NON-Basements • Gutter Cleaning • All Exterior Painting and Repairs • Cable TV • Slide-out Trays in Cabinets • Other Features Offered PHASE III in the $170s CLUBHOUSE AMENTITIES INCLUDE: • Theater Room • State-of-the-Art Fitness Room • Game/Card Tables • Patio • Kitchen Facilities • Wireless Internet Access

FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM March 7, 2018 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I MATURE FOCUS I 39 themselves,” Aldwin said. A person’s social environment and interactions with family, friends and others also were shown to be key factors in shaping their responses to difficult life events, as well as their development of wisdom. Those who received unsolicited emotional support, for example, developed wisdom around compassion and humility. Seeking others with similar experiences exposed some participants to new ideas and interactions, leading to deeper exploration and a new sense of self. The findings recently were published in the Journals of Gerontology: Series B. Partial hysterectomy risks Hysterectomy [surgical removal of the uterus] is the second most common major surgical procedure performed among women in the U.S. Although there has been ongoing debate in the medical community about whether a woman’s ovaries should also be removed during a hysterectomy, the current recommendation by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is that “strong consideration should be made for retaining normal ovaries in premenopausal women who are not at increased genetic risk of ovarian cancer.” However, Mayo Clinic researchers recently conducted a study which showed that having a partial hysterectomy – one that leaves the ovaries in place – is associated with a long-term risk of several cardiovascular diseases and metabolic conditions, especially in women who have the surgery at younger ages. Their findings recently were published in Menopause. “This is the best data to date that shows women undergoing hysterectomy have a risk of long-term disease – even when both ovaries are conserved,” said Dr. Shannon Laughlin-Tommaso, study author and Mayo Clinic obstetrician/gynecologist. “While women are increasingly aware that removing their ovaries poses health risks, this study suggests hysterectomy alone has risks, especially for women who undergo hysterectomy prior to age 35.” Women in the study were identified from a database of all medical providers in Olmsted County, Minnesota. The women included were 2,094 Olmsted County residents over 18 years of age who had a hysterectomy with ovarian conservation for benign [non-cancerous] disease in the 22 years between January 1980 and December 2002. Each of those women was age-matched to a woman residing in the same county during the same time See MATURE FOCUS, page 40 BRIAN G. QUINN, ESQ. ATTORNEY AT LAW • Estate Planning and Elder Law Veteran’s Benefits, Medicaid Benefits and Special Needs Planning • Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Living Will Directives for all stages of life • Helping families with long term care planning and crisis situations • Experience, integrity and dedication to best represent your interests • Principal office located in West County Call our office for a free consultation to discuss your family’s solution 636-394-7242 quinnestatelaw.com info@quinnestatelaw.com | 14611 Manchester Road Exceptional Dental Care With a Personal Touch! Clarkson Dental Group 636-537-0065 | ClarksonDentalGroup.com 1748 Clarkson Road at Baxter | Dierbergs Market Place | Chesterfield 63017 Serving St. Louis and surrounding communities since 1990 DR. SCOTT MAHLIN CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THE EXQUISITE DENTAL EXPERIENCE CLARKSON DENTAL GROUP HAS PROVIDED THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU SOON. Now accepting NewPatients